How do you read your series'?

Lately I realised that my ability to follow a particular series from 'book 1' all the way through to 'book X' without reading anything else in between has been seriously compromised by the fact that I've been having some difficulty in locating certain books in a series in secondhand bookstores (where I normally purchase my books). So, rather than not read anything until I find the book I'm looking for, I've taken to picking up another series while still continuing my search, or I read some other non-fiction work (yes, a break from the fantastical IS necessary after some time... ^_^).

As a result, I'm currently involved in several series, namely the WoT, the 'Fortress' series by CJ Cherryh and the 'Empire' series by Feist & Wurts, and I'm considering starting on the 'Krondor' series by Feist (so many books, so little time... *sigh*). Granted, with some as yet incomplete series like the WoT, one can't help but read something else while awaiting the author to finish the book and the publisher to release it.

Most of the series that I read are a "work in progress." I can't wait for an entire series to be finished before I start it, and I have been reading scifi/fantasy for quite a while so I feel like I am pretty current with the books that are available. Most of the stuff that I think I would like I grab as soon as it is available. I'm in the middle of about 7 series (conservative estimate) right now just waiting for the next sequels to be published.

Well, I think I am about being the worst person in here. I am not only usually reading lots of books before I finish some series. If a book is taking more than three days to read (and I read pretty fast), then I usually pick up some other book - it can be fantasy or anything else - and read both of them in the same time. Like right now I am in the middle of "Legasy of the Darksword" and in the same time reading Harry Potter books. (Also five minutes ago finished one non-fantay book). It is not any good I guess, but that's how I read...

I usually try to read a series all in one go.
If however, it is part way through and a new book gets published, I will try to reread the whole series up to that book again (just to get thing solid in my mind). This means I have read Sword of Shannara countless times, and will read the whole Shannara series through at least twice more. Same goes for the Mistwraith books.
I'm currently reading the Dune books right through, and after that is Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
Maybe, just maybe, I'll read Faith of the Fallen somewhere in between those series.

Wow! Reading the Dune series and then Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series back to back is some deep reading (and sounds like a good idea).

If a series is complete and I want to read it, I will save up and buy the entire series from the store, then sit down and read it. That way when I inevitably finish a book at 1 am, I've always got the next sitting on the 'to read' shelf.

If its an on-going series, I just read them as they come, and work on existing series in-between.

Luckily enough, my timing always seems to work out pretty good. For instance, during Sept-Nov. of this year, all kinds of new books have been coming out, and I have been reading all the new ones coming out. Once things slow down around Dec, I'll start scouring the shelves for existing series and new authors to read.

Generally I try to read the series in one shebang from book 1 to book X. Usually, I will buy the first book, and if I like it, I will go out and buy the remainder of the series. For example I bought the first Thomas Covenant book a few years ago because Del Rey had a special $3.99 price on what they labeled "Classics of Fantasy" or "Classics of Science Fiction." I think Gemmel, Anthony, and McCaffrey were some other authors who had the reduced 'classic' price. Anyway, when I was a couple hundred pages into Lord Foul's Bane and realized how great it was, I went out and bought the rest of the series.

I also like to buy series that are reprinted as omnibus volumes, like Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. The Science Fiction Book Club reprints series in omnibus volumes alot and the price is really good considering you get anywhere from 2-5 books as one book. I read the Alvin series by Orson Scott Card that way. I must have joined, quit and rejoined the SFBC at least 2 or 3 times just to get the great 3-in-1 volumes they publish since you get like 5 books for a penny when you join.

Exceptions of course such as WOT, A Song of Ice and Fire, Otherland and Dark Tower.

Usually after I finsih a series, I will try read a stand-alone non-fantasy book like Sojourn.

Eventine, good luck with the re-reading

[This message has been edited by FitzFlagg (edited October 26, 2000).]

FitzFlagg: I'm familiar with the omnibus volumes of the 'classics' that publishers release, such as the Fantasy Masterworks collections, of which I own Jack Vance's 'Tales of the Dying Earth' anthology. I've also come across specially re-released authors published by bookclubs or by the independent publishers at a cheaper price.

However, being the peculiar fellow that I am (^_^), I hunt for the earliest editions of novels, whether hardback or mass paperback (I don't quite like the larger paperback editions. The smaller mass editions are a more compact, comfortable read than the rather cumbersome paperbacks, IMHO). I guess if I followed FiztFlagg's example, I would complete my collection quicker and have more books to read too, but nothing quite beats the challenge offered by an elusive 1st edition paperback novel or the exhiliration when you've finally stumbled across it in some obscure secondhand bookstore tucked away in some dingy corner of surburbia... ^_^

Oh, and speaking about omnibuses, of which I have few (only one, in fact), I'm also on a quest to collect each of the four books in 'Tales of the Dying Earth' (I've got my hands on two so far ^_^). I much prefer to have the separate novels than one large collected volume, and this goes for ANY series, like LoTR for example.

Yeah FitzFlagg, most secondhand stores in Melbourne sell their books at half the retail price, both paperbacks and hardbacks. Of course, if a particular hardback is valuable ie rare edition, good condition for its age etc. they hike the price up accordingly. That is if the store owners know their books, which most of them do.

Still, since the GST (Goods and Services Tax) was introduced, new books have gone up by a few dollars, and as a result, some secondhand shop prices have also gone up by a dollar or two. A pain, I tell you... ^_^